The Walking Dead:
Survivalism
Chapter 1: Life Among Death
"RUN!" Michael shouted as he and James raced along a crowded street of walkers. There was a clearing through the middle of the street they were on that led to a nearby bayou they could take to get back to their hideout.
"What about the guns? We have to go back or else we'll never get them!" James shouted as they began slashing their way through the horde with their black tomahawks.
"We can't risk it! There's already too many of them! We're gonna have to draw them off later when they've cleared out. It's too crowded right now. Plus, WE have to make sure we get out of this first!" Michael shouted over his shoulder as they hacked their way towards the end of the street.
Bodies were falling left and right as both men no older than twenty-two raced away from the infested street towards the bayou whose trail helped keep them hidden from the masses of walkers from the downtown area. Michael had to wait a little longer for James to catch up to him as he lumbered along. Michael was grateful for his slim stature in situations like these.
"Great. We did all that damn running for nothing." James said agitated.
"Well look at it this way, we made it out alive and we know where the weapons are. All we have to do is check back there again soon before someone else gets to them. And besides, you could use the extra exercise right bubba?" Joked Michael.
"Screw you Michael! We needed those guns and all we had to do was go to the damn place, load them real fast, and shoot our way out! But no, you wanted to run away instead of bringing back something we actually could have used." James exclaimed while driving his tomahawk through a nearby walker's skull.
"Look, there was no way we could've made it out of there alive if we'd stayed James. First off, we barely have any gun training at all. We probably wouldn't even know how to load ammo into those guns. Second, all the shooting probably would've given us away to either more people, walkers, or both. And third, even if we were able to make it back to the group with the guns, how much ammo do you think we'd actually have left?" Michael retorted as he wiped away blood from his tomahawk.
"Whatever, let's just get back to camp already. I've had enough bullshit for one day." James said as they began walking along the bayou to the outskirts of the city.
It was a hot and humid day in Houston as the two men walked along further toward the outskirts near the wood of a once traffic-filled highway. Now all that remain were the hundreds of abandoned cars lining the freeway with wreckage, bodies both fresh and of walkers. It was hard to believe it had only been a month since the outbreak even began. Michael could still hear cries from people in the city as the dead finished off whoever was still vulnerable or unlucky enough to remain trapped within the confines of downtown. Or maybe those were just the cries of those he once lost he thought.
The two adults had experienced a multitude of sorrow these past few weeks, as James, once an assistant manager at a local gaming retailer, was now alone after seeing his mother and sister eaten alive by walkers. His niece and nephew remained hidden somewhere in or around the city along with his uncle who was watching over them at the time.
Michael's only remaining family he knew of in Houston was his brother. He kept thinking back to how he saw his parents shot by some crazed lunatic while trying to escape the frenzy. His sister perished as well, sacrificing herself to let him live another day. This ate at Michael's insides every time he awoke from a nightmare of that fateful day.
Luckily, these two men were not alone in this chaos. Their longtime friends Cesar, Felix, Damian, and Victor had all survived, at the cost of most of their families. People like Damian's sister Marisa, Felix's daughter Alexis, and Cesar's wife Terra were still fortunate enough to have a part of their family left in each other's lives. The city of Houston felt more desolate than ever. Dead bodies floated downstream in bayous, while mosquitos were rampant everywhere.
Michael and James were part of a two-man team, where everyone in their small group had roles to fill. For them, they were sent out on supply runs, while the women kept things at the campsite clean, or cooked. Damian and Victor were hunters, while also searching for food at any place they could find, while Cesar and his brother Felix stayed at the camp to keep watch and tend to kids. Cesar was the current leader of their group, as he served 4 years of service in the marines.
Finally Michael and James had arrived to find everyone but Damian and Victor at camp. Both were sweating after traveling a few miles from the city. Both were tired and had high tension between them after the gun incident earlier.
"The hell? You guys didn't find anything?" Cesar asked looking surprised.
"Well we would have if Michael would've have just listened to me instead of running like an idiot." James replied sharply. Everyone looked towards Michael for an answer.
"Look, there were walkers surrounding us everywhere, and if we would've stayed we would have been dead for sure. We don't even know how to use or load guns fast enough to know how to shoot. And even if we did, we'd only attract more of them. We can still go back and get them, but we need a plan." Michael exclaimed.
"So what do you think we should do?" Cesar questioned curiously.
"Well what we could do is maybe try to go in the morning." Michael suggested.
"I can get up early and take either Vic or Felix with me to scout out around there and try to get the guns. Walkers usually tend to wander off in different directions around the morning. We can get in, and get out in less than five minutes."
Felix seemed to oblige by nodding.
"Yeah Mike, I'll go with you. Hell, it beats having to stand around here doing nothing. I could use a bit of action for once." Felix said eagerly.
"No. We should go back tonight. All we have to do is create a distraction to divert the walkers away from the guns and we'll swoop in and pick them up. It's a lot better than waiting until the morning when they might be gone." James said sternly while trying to get Cesar to agree with him.
Cesar considered James' suggestion, but decided against it.
"Look James, as much as I like that you wanna get the weapons this fast, I still think Mike's plan may work best since it's too dangerous to go out at night. We're still a small group so we need every person we can get. If we lose one person, that just makes matters worse." Cesar said calmly in order to try and ease James' nerves.
"But we're taking a big risk if we don't try going in now to get them." James persisted
Michael was about to try compromising when they all turned their heads towards the woods from the snapping of a twig they heard. Damian's little sister Marisa and Cesar's wife Terra both let out a small squeal. It was after the two figures that revealed the presence of Damian and Victor that the group breathed a sigh of relief.
"We really need to have a warning call for stuff like this." Felix said while trying to relax.
"Sorry, we found a few squirrels, but they were covered in blood already. Victor scared the shit out of me cause a walker crept up behind him and almost got him. Luckily the bear trap he set caught it though. Oh! The good news is that Victor also caught a rabbit!" Damian said excitedly while Victor held up the dead hare.
"Ew! I don't want to have to eat a poor little bunny rabbit." Damian's little sister Marisa said disgusted.
"Well you're going to have to get used to it. Or hope it starts raining pigs." Damian joked.
Marisa frowned as she surveyed what would soon be the closest thing to a meal.
"Well that's at least something for now. Nice job guys." Michael complimented. James still appeared to be a bit unsettled, but had calmed down nonetheless.
"Alight then, why don't we vote on what we'll do about the gun situation later. Let's get dinner prepared. I think we've all been through enough today to earn some food in our stomach's." Cesar said as he helped Terra to her feet. She had been pregnant for a few months before the outbreak began.
"Gun situation?" Victor asked as he and Damian looked puzzled.
"Don't worry, I'll tell you all about it later." James said sarcastically.
Night fell upon the city as Michael's camp sat around the fire eating the rations Terra and Marisa helped separate in order for them to live off the food they had a little longer. Everyone was finishing off the last of the rabbit Victor had caught. Mainly Marisa and Terra since they were the only women. James was busy telling Damian and Victor the ordeal him and Michael had, while Cesar and Michael were discussing how to approach getting the weapons they need.
"See, I was thinking we take the car and have someone honk it and drive along to distract all the walkers while two of us go in and grab the guns." Cesar suggested.
"That sounds good, but the way the street was filled with walkers, it's gonna be hard for our car not to get stuck on some of the rotting corpses and crap. We'll most likely have to have someone on foot." Michael said firmly.
"Hmm, ok. But we should at least have someone parked about a block away honking as a distraction. That way once someone grabs the sack, they holler for a pickup and then bam, clean getaway." Cesar said confidently.
Michael gave an approving nod. This was what Michael liked about Cesar a lot, he has a knack for making sure any plan Michael has a full-proof one. This was also what made Cesar a good leader. Although James had the determined aggression and Michael the reasonable hope, Cesar was like a balance between them in a way. All while having the responsibility of taking care of his wife and watching out for the rest of their group.
Terra came to join Cesar and Michael after they finished discussing their plan for getting the guns.
"Can't believe it's been a month since all this started." Terra said solemnly.
"Yeah, it's pretty bad, but we can still find a way to live after all of this." Cesar said hopefully.
"Cesar's right. Things may look shitty now, but there has to be some place that's safe. It just looks bad right now cause we're getting used to death being all around us, that we still forget we're the ones living." Michael exclaimed as he voiced his thoughts aloud.
Terra responded jokingly by saying, "Well I hope we find a safe place soon, cause I'm getting tired of living in shit." The three of them laughed as they shared smiles for the first time in weeks.
"Alright everyone, listen up." Cesar said loudly as he quieted everyone around the campfire.
"Michael and I have decided that the best way to get those guns are for two of us to go straight in, but only with the help of a distractor. We're going to need someone in the car to honk the horn a few blocks away so they can draw the walkers towards them while the other two sneak in and grab the weapons. I can go with Mike while James can drive. Once we holler, you come pick us up and we'll make a quick getaway."
"Well as long as I get to be the getaway driver then that's fine by me." James said light-heartedly.
"So it's settled then. We leave first thing in the morning while the rest of the guys stay behind and keep watch. Let's make this work." Cesar spoke confidently as everyone agreed.
"Hey Cesar, mind if I take watch tonight? Not really feeling sleepy at all so I figured I might as well." James asked politely.
"Yeah sure, if Damian doesn't mind since it's his night." Cesar said.
"Nope. It's all yours James." Damian said gratefully. That's when James turned to face both Victor and Damian.
"Alright then, you two still up for our original plan?" James asked.
"Hell yeah."
"You got it man." Both Damian and Victor obliged.
"Good. We leave in two hours." Whispered James.
James, Damian, and Victor all crept quietly out of their tents as they met at the big pine tree next to Michael's car.
"You got the bags?" James asked Damian.
"Yep. All here. Ready when you are" Damian said as him and Victor looked around to see if anyone was watching.
"You sure this is gonna work James? Asked Victor tensely.
"Of course it is. I'll go ahead and drive with the headlights on bright and honk while you and Damian go in and grab the bag real fast. If we're lucky, we can probably just drive straight down the street right next to the bag, grab the whole thing, and go. It's so easy I don't see why Cesar and Michael prefer to make it harder than what it is." James proclaimed defensively.
All three of them began to creep up to Michael's car when they saw the body sleeping in the car turn over from hearing them.
"I had a feeling you'd be out for a stroll." Michael yawned while sitting upright in the driver seat.
"You may have your own plan but you're not using my car to do it. We all agreed to get those weapons as a group, so if you want to do things your own way, then you better have a backup plan. Otherwise, go to sleep, and help us do this the right way." Michael said sternly.
Damian and Victor were still surprised at seeing someone they thought was a dead body in Michael's car from how dark it was. James on the other hand seemed livid at how he was one-upped.
"Fine. You and Cesar wanna overcomplicate things and get yourselves killed, be our guest. I'm just trying to do things the fast and easy way." James replied sharply.
"No. What you want to do is go on a suicide mission in the middle of the night with no way to see in the dark besides a few bright headlights. Which will probably just bring more of them your way. Or worse…our way." Michael retorted defensively.
"Whatever. I'll be keeping watch. All I know is that if things go to shit tomorrow, I'll know who to blame." James shot back as he walked away while Damian and Victor walked back to their tents.
Michael had his eyes fixed on the three of them until he was sure they were back in their tents. He clutched the keys tightly to his chest, as his tomahawk lay beside him as he slowly drifted to sleep.
The next morning, the four men going on the weapons run loaded into Michael's Camaro as they went over the plan one last time.
"So we all know the plan then right?"
Cesar double-checked with James and Michael.
"James drops us off at a clear enough spot a block or two away, drives off while honking to distract the walkers, while you and I run like hell to those guns and blow our whistles for James to pick us up once we get them."
Michael and James nodded and the three of them sped off towards downtown once more. James was still in a tense mood from the night before, but was determined to succeed nonetheless. Trees and walkers passed them by as they raced towards the city. Crows were chewing out the eyeballs of a fresh corpse as Cesar watched in disgust through the window. A walker who had lost its legs was dragging itself along the highway until James decided to mow it down. The car making a few thudding noises as the rotting carcass flew behind them, leaving a fresh trail of blood. Michael made a questionable look at James.
"Hey, you gotta admit it's a lot more fun running one over than it is in the video games." James joked as Michael smirked.
The three finally reached downtown as they passed by small groups of walkers. They drove by one block that was swarming with walkers all along the street next to an overturned eighteen-wheeler. Cesar wished he'd thought of bringing along more gas cans sooner in order for them to siphon some fuel. Nevertheless, the three men reached the same point James and Michael did the previous day before they failed to retrieve the weapons.
"Well, here's your stop. Just blow your whistles once you get the goods. I'll stop honking after every 5 seconds and wait 10 seconds so I can try to hear you in case you or Cesar call out. Oh, and if you two find any swords, please bring them with you so we can modify this thing."
James patted the steering wheel in order to hint at making a death machine out of the Camaro.
"We'll see how lucky we get." Michael said, almost wanting to smile. Cesar readied his combat knife as Michael pulled out his tomahawk.
"Alright then, let's get this show on the road. Ready. Set. Go!" Cesar shouted as they began to race in opposite directions. James speeding as fast as he could down the street, while Michael led Cesar to the location of the guns which were in front of a run down office building. Both could hear the screeching of tires as James began seeing walkers line the street we was on. Brushing by a few while hitting a few others.
Cesar and Michael began slashing their way towards the next block as walkers began crowding the street after hearing James burnout. About a minute later, the sound of James honking in the distance told Michael and Cesar to hurry up even faster.
"Let's hurry the hell up! We won't have much time if they keep coming at us like this!" Michael shouted as him and Cesar continued stabbing walkers in the head.
They finally reached the street where the guns resided. But were greeted with a few dozen walkers.
"Dammit. Now what?!" Cesar asked.
"We split up, work around the damn things, and regroup at the guns! Start shouting the minute you either grab the bag or blow your whistle if you need help! James will have to hear us!" Michael yelled as they began to head off to different sides. Slicing heads as much as they could. One walker clawed its way towards Cesar, until he kicked back and raced towards it by shoving his knife into its eye.
Michael decided to try doing the same, but also chopped off its arms, then used it as a shield. He pushed the corpse as far as he could go until the body broke apart from the pressure of the amassing walkers and force Michael was using to push it. Blood and guts splattered everywhere unto Michael's clothes, but he pressed forward.
The two worked through the horde methodically, making sure not to get scratched or caught off guard. They were closer than ever as they both neared an opening.
"THERE!" Michael shouted as he and Cesar began moving towards the sack of guns. They still seemed to be intact, provided some were a bit spread across the floor from the masses of bodies walking over and around them. Cesar reached the bag first while he checked for ammo to load the guns with. He found a reasonable amount of clips, took two pistols out from the bag, loaded them, and handed one to Michael, who had just began blowing his whistle.
"Listen, it's already loaded, so all you gotta do is aim down your sight, take a deep breath, and shoot. Aim for the head!" Cesar instructed Michael as he began firing.
Michael hesitated at first, since he'd never fired a gun before, but obliged and began to carefully but willfully shoot the nearest walkers he could. His bullets were landing, but were mainly hitting at the jaw or neck. Michael's hand began to shake from nervousness and adrenaline, so he tried steadying himself more.
"Remember, aim carefully and try to get used to the force of the gun after you shoot it so you can control your fire better! Concentrate Mike!" Cesar yelled over the mass of hissing and groaning bodies shuffling towards them.
"Right."
Michael said shakily as he began to control his hand from shaking. His shots were finally reaching the intended target as a bullet flew through a nearby walker's eye socket. His aim began to improve after a few more bodies fell to the floor until finally he started to land clear headshots.
"There ya go! That's a lot better Mike! Keep it up, I think I hear James coming!" Cesar exclaimed hopefully.
It was then that the screeching of tires were heard as James rushed around the corner barreling towards Michael and Cesar, knocking away and running over walkers here and there.
"There he is! Let's go!" Cesar shouted.
But then it happened. Just as both men turned to run towards James, Michael heard the cry.
"Aiiiiieee!" The squeal came from behind a door from the main office of the building. Michael wheeled around and raced to open the door just as James had pulled up.
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!? GET THE HELL BACK HERE NOW MICHAEL!" James shouted furiously as Cesar made his way to the car with the guns.
"HOLD ON! WE CAN STILL SAVE HER! THERE'S STILL TIME!" Michael shouted as he thrust open the door to find a girl no older 9 or 10 huddled behind a desk in the corner.
"Please! Please don't hurt me! I just want them to go away! Don't let the monsters get me!" The girl sobbed as Michael approached her slowly.
"Hey, it's ok. I'm not going to hurt you. My friends and I just came to get some stuff we needed but we're in a hurry to leave so if you don't want to have to deal with the monsters then come with us. But you gotta hurry ok?" Michael said quickly as he held out his hand.
"Are…are you sure you'll keep the monsters away?" The girl asked fearfully.
"Yes. Tell me, what's your name sweetie pie?" Michael asked.
"S-Sadie." The girl answered shakily.
"Well Sadie, we're gonna get you out of here ok? But you have to hurry cause there's a lot of them on their way over here right now. Please, take my hand and we can go away from all the monsters ok?" Michael said urgently.
The little girl accepted as she grabbed his hand as they raced back to the car, where they were greeted by the shouting of James cursing Michael to get back to them fast. Walkers were closing in from all directions, as Michael and Sadie got closer. The horde was getting larger as the gap towards Michael's Camaro thinned with every step. They were nearly there until Michael heard the scream.
"AAAAHHHHHH!" Sadie screamed in pain as a walker bit her arm, blood gushing out as more began grabbing hold of her. Her hand was still gripped tightly to Michael's.
"YOU HAVE TO LET HER GO MICHAEL! IT'S TOO LATE!" Cesar shouted as he got out of the car to help Michael.
"NOOO! DON'T LEAVE ME, PLEASE!" Sadie yelled as more walkers tore at her flesh. Cesar was pulling on Michael arm as he tried to force his grip to loosen.
"NO! SADIE! I'M NOT LEAVING HER! LET ME GO! NOOO!" Michael screamed as Sadie's hand slipped away. His hand covered with her blood as he shouted while Cesar pulled him towards the car, taking the backseat while leaving Michael in the passenger seat screaming and sobbing. The three of them sped off while Michael buried his face in his hands. Half of his face now covered with the blood of the girl he failed to save.
"I'm so sorry Mike. It's not your fault…there was nothing you could've done. But at least you tried." Cesar said as he tried to calm Michael down. James was silent as he knew anything he would say would probably trigger an angered response from Michael.
They turned a corner only to be met with a few dozen walkers and small pieces of wreckage in different parts of the street. James began to speed up as the crowd began to form in a "V" formation towards the car. He began ramming through the horde as arms were torn off, or extra limbs were crushed under the tires.
"Ok, we just have another street or two and we'll be back on the…"
James jumped in his seat as Michael's head sprung up from his hands while Cesar let out a frightened shout. A body had landed straight onto their windshield, causing a big thud and crack in the glass. James turned on the windshield wipers in a panic as he swerved for the walker to fly off. It rolled off after a few tries, but the three were stunned to see that the street they were on was guarded on both sides by tall skyscrapers with broken windows that seemed to go on for stories.
All they could see were walkers approaching the windows as they shuffled out of them landing onto the street. The entire street began raining bodies as James slammed his foot on the pedal.
"The fuckers are falling from everywhere!" James yelled frantically.
Bodies were starting to hit the hood and back of the car as the sound of blood splattering could be heard. More were falling ahead of them as they saw guts and insides of those who were once alive splash onto the street like giant water balloons exploding. They were finally reaching the end of the street when another walker crashed through the windshield, causing the glass to break and James to swerve to the left.
"SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!" James yelled as he swerved, causing the walker to roll towards Michael's side as it clawed at him through the dashboard.
Michael didn't hesitate at all as he pulled out his pistol and ordered for them to cover their ears as he stuck the gun in the walker's mouth without any sign of fear and pulled the trigger, covering the other half of his face in blood. The corpse slunk down as Michael kicked it out of the way and sent it rolling onto the street behind them. James and Cesar looked stunned as they raced away from the remainder of the falling bodies of flesh.
"Michael…you're not gonna wipe-"
"-No. It's there for a reason. I'll clean it when I'm ready." Michael cut off James as he spoke softly. He wanted to wait till the blood had dried, as Sadie's did. So that it would be etched on his conscience forever, never letting his sorrow fade.
It was early in the afternoon when the three men arrived back at their camp. All were exhausted and still in shock from what transpired in downtown. It was when they arrived when Damian, Victor, and Felix greeted them. All three rushed to meet them as they gasped at Michael's face.
"Whoa. What happened to you guys?" Victor asked.
Michael walked passed them and headed for the nearest canteen of water they kept stored in Damian's Jeep.
"What went down in the city Cesar?" Felix asked with a worried look on his face.
"We'll fill you in later. Right now I think it's best if we all try to relax and get things ready for dinner. It's been a tough day. Especially for him." Cesar gestured towards Michael.
"He made that choice for himself. No one told him to do it. In fact, I was clearly shouting for him to just come get in the damn car already. He was just too stubborn to listen." James chimed in harshly.
"But you know it meant more than that James. It could have been one of our own and then what? You would've went back wouldn't you?" Cesar questioned as James looked taken aback.
"That's not the point. She wasn't one of our own and nearly got Michael, and probably would've gotten us killed if we went to help Michael too." James shot back.
Felix, Damian, and Victor exchanged looks of confusion between them. Cesar took notice.
"Look, we'll talk about this to you guys later. All of us will. For now, let's just leave Michael to his thoughts. I'm sure he could use some time alone."
"He lost someone today, didn't he? Damian asked.
"He lost more than that…" Cesar said solemnly as he watched a lone crow fly away from the tree it was in, Michael walking in the same direction.
Later that evening Cesar had gathered everyone around the campfire while Michael decided to isolate himself for the day. Cesar informed the group of what had happened, while trying not to disturb the children with the more extreme details. James still persisted throughout the story by giving his thoughts on why he feels Michael should have never risked his life in the first place so that he could spare himself from the pain he was going through right now.
Most of the group seemed to side with James on this, while Cesar and Terra still sympathized with the choice Michael had made. It was towards the end of their discussion that Cesar suggested they all go easy on Michael for the time being.
"Don't question him about it, just act as you normally would while not acting too overbearing for him. He'll be fine after he vents or grieves a bit more. We all know how it feels to lose someone, especially someone we couldn't save."
Everyone was already heading off to sleep later that night while Michael lay awake in grass next to the woods. He told Cesar that he'd keep watch tonight since he couldn't sleep while Damian once again took the night off. He chose to lay in a small clearing near the edge of the wood. It was the only clear view he had of the stars. That's when he heard the rustle of something in the woods not too far from him.
"Psst. You hear that too?" Damian whispered as he Michael turned around to see him walking towards him.
"What are you doing up?" Michael asked
"Had to pee and I saw you were up, so I figured I'd check up on you. I heard the noise too." Damian said as he cautiously looked into the woods.
The rustling became louder as they both prepared to attack in case it was a wandering walker. That's when Michael finally felt hope for the first time as a familiar voice reached his ears for the first time in weeks.
"Michael, that you?" A voice came from behind a tree just ten feet away from them.
"Jose? No way! Come out from over there. We're not gonna kill you." Michael said half relieved, half excited.
A tall light-skinned man stepped from behind the tree trunk into the open to Michael and Damian's fortune.
"I can't believe I found you guys. I've been wandering around for weeks trying to find someone I know. I was driving home from work when it all happened when I saw that it was impossible for me to get home. I'm surprised you made it out of there. How long have you all been over here? And who else is with you?" Jose asked excitedly.
"The old crew really. Along with Cesar's wife, Felix's daughter, and Damian's little sister. Cesar and the rest you already remember I'm sure." Michael said.
"Oh, ok cool. I'm guessing none of your parents or relatives…" Jose trailed off as he saw the somber looks on both Damian and Michael's faces.
"We'll fill you in on everything tomorrow. It's been a very…crazy day for me." Michael said while leading Jose back to camp. This was something he surely needed after losing someone he barely knew. They all walked back to camp, as Michael swore he saw a shooting star for the first time, as he wished for the only thing he could.
It was the next morning as the group welcomed a new member to their numbers. Jose had retold to Michael and the others how he ended up finding them.
"I remember trying to get back into our neighborhood, but Normandy was so crowded that cars were blocking the street and there was chaos everywhere. I had to turn back so I decided to see if Rafa's family was ok. Couldn't find them either." Jose said sadly.
Rafael was a good friend of Michael and Jose's whom they met in college but had recently enlisted in the Army. Jose assumed he was still stationed in Louisiana.
"So after not being able to find my family or Rafa's, I tried to get away from the city but I got stuck on the freeway right by the George R. Brown Convention center, so I had to make a run for it since downtown was swarming with them. That's how I ended up making my way into the woods. I would hide there and then go find a place to stay in that looked empty. Or if it weren't empty I'd clear it out. It was a good thing I had found a crowbar along the way. Lost it on my way over here when I slipped down a ditch while running from those monsters." Jose explained.
"We just call them walkers." Michael said as Jose took note of this new term.
"Walkers?" Guess that sounds better than zombies or something." Jose admitted.
"So what happened with you yesterday in downtown?" Jose asked Michael concerned. Michael took a few seconds to answer as he sighed heavily and began retelling the incident he, James, and Cesar went through yesterday. Jose's face filled with shock.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that. It felt so weird having to kill those…walkers. I can't imagine killing someone who hasn't even turned yet." Jose said quietly.
"It's not the same as losing the ones that are alive. I can tell you that." Michael replied grimly.
"Well regardless of that, we're glad to have you here Jose. Been forever since we've seen you." Cesar spoke in order to shift the mood. Everyone had gathered around where they held the campfire. Felix was busy carrying his daughter Alexis as she was sleeping silently.
"She finally knocked out after being up most of last night." Felix said as they watched her sleep peacefully.
"We've got a lot of work to do today. We're gonna need the extra help too. Two people for food and supply runs, another two for hunting, a lookout for the camp, and me for gun training."
"How about we have everyone do the food and supply runs, as well as the hunters gather food and firewood so we can all be available for gun training instead of you teaching us separately?" Michael suggested.
"Yeah that could work." Cesar agreed.
"Let's have Damian and Felix go on the food and supply runs, while I keep watch with Jose and give him and the others a little introduction to the different types of guns we got. Would you and James be ok with gathering firewood and hunting together?"
"Sure, no problem." Michael calmly. He wasn't in the mood to deal with what he presumed would be James criticizing him for what happened yesterday while they hunted.
"I'm sure we'll be alright. Don't think we'll be getting chased by a horde of walkers today." James said trying to lighten the mood as it helped lift Michael's a little.
"Couldn't agree more." Michael replied.
"Good then. Jose, wait here and keep watch while I go get you a gun. Alright everyone, let's get to it." Cesar said as the group began preparing for their tasks.
He and Terra walked back to the jeep as they began to hold hands while she began talking.
"You know, the baby's going to be coming before we know it; as in less than 4 months. What are we going to do babe? We still have to find someone with medical knowledge, and then there's diapers, baby formula…" Terra trailed off as she began to worry.
"Hey, don't worry babe. We'll figure something out. I was thinking about that too and our best bet is to get somewhere cooler. Its still summer and I don't want you out here in the heat like this. I doubt it'll make the baby happy either." Cesar said as he tried to reassure her.
"What about Michael? Are you sure he's ready? Especially considering what he just went through." Terra asked concerned.
"I think he'll do fine. I'll tell him when the time is right." Cesar replied firmly while he watched James and Michael enter the woods to start hunting.
It was late in the afternoon as Michael and James scouted the woods for any signs of animal life. They had only managed to scavenge a few nuts and acorns. Both of them were sweating profusely as the summer sun beat down on their heads. The mosquitos were beginning to grow in numbers as they walked along small banks of a bayou.
"I can't believe how hard it is just to find a damn squirrel nowadays. Damn things always used to run in front of my car back then. Now they don't wanna come out at all." James said grudgingly.
"Well, sooner or later we're bound to run into something; unless you'd care to try catching some fish. Michael suggested as he watched a small turtle slip into the water.
"I would, but knowing how polluted this city is, there's no telling what anything in there has been swimming in." James replied as he looked into the water longingly.
A few seconds later they saw a walker stumble out from the other side of the bayou as it fell into the water trying to walk towards them. Drifting away in the small current.
"And then there's that." James said flatly as he and Michael walked on. There headed back deeper into the woods as they found more acorns, and even some edible berries to eat.
It wasn't until they were about to call it a day that they found a pair of squirrels scurrying towards a tree. James had laid some of the nuts they gathered in order to lure them in while Michael finished them off once they fell for the bait. With both of them satisfied, James decided to try talking about the issue they both knew was bound to come up sooner or later.
"I know you didn't want to lose her, and I'll admit I was caught in the moment when I was shouting at you to come back. But you have to realize that I was only mad because of how much danger we were all in. If Cesar and I had tried to come help you, we'd probably all be…" James trailed off as Michael shook his head.
"No. It was too late for even you two to help. I only went back because it's what any of us would've done for one of our own." He spoke with a serious tone.
"But that's different. You didn't even know this girl. She could've been part of another group." Or worse, she could've been the reason those guns were there in the first place and set them as a trap to steal our car or something." James implied.
"James, she was a helpless little girl who was shaking in a corner with no one in sight. She didn't look like she was acting whatsoever. How can you even think she would have any other motive?" Michael asked sharply.
"I'm just saying we can't take risks like you did. It was too damn close and you know it. You nearly got yourself kill-"
-"That's not the point. What if it were Lexy?" Michael cut in. He knew asking James about his baby niece would hit a nerve, but he was fed up.
"Don't you bring her into this. You know damn well I'd do anything I can to protect her." His temper rising.
"Well then don't criticize me for saving someone else." Michael shot back.
"Look, if you wanna get yourself killed that's fine by me. But don't expect me to fucking feel sorry for your own mistakes when things don't work the way you want them to."
"Oh, so now I'm a burden to you because you think I'm going to get you killed or something!?" Michael snarled.
"You're so full of shit! You think trying to be a hero makes everything alright? No dumbass. You're saving one life at the cost of others'. Do the fucking math!" Both of them had stopped and were facing each other as they had each dropped what they were carrying in outrage.
"Why the fuck are you even talking? You didn't have to do shit but drive MY fucking car! Which you tried to steal the night before to…what was that? Oh yeah, try playing the fucking hero of your own! And why is that huh? So we can all somehow place our faith in you and listen to everything you'd rather do your way? Get the fuck over yourself." Michael said nastily.
"You shut the fuck up right now." James demanded as he pulled out his tomahawk while Michael quickly flung his out as they edged towards each other.
"You think you're fucking brave? You couldn't even handle rejection back in high school before all this shit started. Now you think you're some kind of new and improved man, out to save the world. Well go ahead, show me how brave you are. Take a stab fucker." James urged.
Both stood frozen in place. Ready to attack at any moment. Just as they were about to swing, they heard the rustling. It seemed to be coming from everywhere around them. The sound of their yelling must have attracted the walkers as they turned and looked in all directions to see how many walkers surrounded them. That's when a few walkers emerged from the woods while another three came from behind their position.
They quickly turned away from each other and began going at work on the undead instead; Cutting off limbs and stabbing through skulls, sometimes even repeatedly. One unfortunate corpse had its jaw swiped clean off before being stabbed between the eyes from Michael, while another had its skull crushed under James' foot.
The bloodbath had finally ended, and with it so had their urge to kill one another, although the thought still remained. They both headed back towards their camp as neither said a word while the evening began to settle in. The silence between them was more evident than ever as they themselves were quiet enough to pass as walkers.
All either one could think about was how much they wished they could hurt the other. Michael fumed at the things James threw at him. He wondered how someone could have the audacity to just let a child fend for itself instead of trying to help save him or her. Although he knew nothing about Sadie other than her name, Michael refused to believe he was wrong in trying to save her. No matter what the cost to him.
They continued to march back to camp, as they realized that after what happened today, things would never be how they used to between the two. Both remember having arguments like this before, but not in the situation they faced now. Things were different. They were among constant death that seemed unavoidable to them. And they knew it. James didn't even realize that it was his face this time that was covered in blood from the slaughter the two did earlier. Once they made it back to camp, Cesar had rushed over to ask what had happened.
"James, you've got blood on your face." Cesar said concerned.
"Not now Cesar." James replied as he and Michael parted ways while Cesar stood shocked. Wondering what happened between the two this time.
"Guess you'll have to wait a little later to tell him." Terra said as she approached Cesar's side while Michael stormed off to the clearing near the woods again.
That night, James and Michael were both absent from the campfire as Cesar and the others speculated on what occurred in the woods. Felix was listening in on the conversation as he tried to force Alexis to eat some squirrel meat. Jose was sitting on a log staring into the fire lost in thought.
"Have those two ever gotten along?" Marisa asked as she ate an acorn.
"Marisa, those two have always been like that even when they played video games." Damian said flatly.
"You think they might have gotten into it because James said something about Michael trying to rescue that girl?" Asked Victor.
"I wouldn't be surprised." Cesar replied.
"I only sent them out hunting together so they could hopefully talk about it without everyone around so they could understand each other's point of view. I'm guessing they decided to take a different approach."
"Well James has a point, Michael's an idiot for going back for someone he didn't even know. Hell, she was probably working for another group and trying to trick you guys into helping her. People can be fucking crazy with shit like this going on. Even kids dude." Damian chimed in.
"I gotta agree with Damian on this one Cesar. Anyone can be lying with what's going on now." Felix interjected.
"I agree, but the way Mike described it and from what I saw, she didn't seem like someone that would mislead us. It's hard for us to say much because we haven't been in a situation like that, so I'm trying to see it from all angles in a way." Cesar said.
"I was planning on making a big announcement tomorrow morning, but with how those two have been acting, I'm afraid I should probably wait till a few weeks have passed. Not sure if anyone will like it either."
"Well what does this big announcement involve anyways? Victor asked curiously.
"It's something Cesar and I have been thinking about for a long time." Terra replied quietly.
"You might as well tell us tomorrow then. Things aren't going to get any better between those guys anyway." Damian grimly.
Jose still remained reserved and shy, like he always had been. Cesar wasn't looking forward to delivering the big announcement to everyone tomorrow morning, mainly since he still didn't have a detailed plan as to where the group should go next. All he knew was that once he revealed the news to everyone, nothing would be the same between any of them.
18
18